Lion Guard: Scar of Revenge

Chapter one: Mindful Thoughts

The heart of a soul flared in anger of the event that was actively in motion before him. The golden figure of the one responsible for such an event only increased said anger, to that of unspeakable rage.

"Ssstop! You can't destroy him!" The livid cobra leapt forth in order to deliver his second blow, one intended to kill,.. but the sickeningly annoying voice of the Pridelands' bravest rang out, and suddenly he was tumbling over the edge alongside the honey badger. He was certain that this was the end for him… but when the roasty plunge didn't occur he couldn't help but wonder if he was already gone; or perhaps just dreaming. But somehow the only hurt he felt, was the destruction of his former master.. And the terrible burning of the right side of his face; having felt the lava's rath against that one part of his body. Ushari found this rather strange,.. until he realized the tension on his lower body, and the air rushing by him in the form of… flight? The volcano sunk away, and the snake coughed dryly from the volcanic smog that bellowed from the now baron lava producer. He hit the dusty floor just beyond it(opposite the location of the massive battle) as he recovered, the pain unimaginable. Torching his flesh with a fierce passion that literally threatened to burn a hole in his head,.. bringing to him the worst headache of his life. A pair of talons hit the ground next to him and he looked to find the midnight shades of a strange bird, whom he recognized by species near immediately. The cobra slipped around and back, into the shadows now behind him; as though he didn't want to be seen.

"Who are you?" Ushari questioned rather coldly, though showing a bit of confusion as well.

"I am Folami." The sinister sounding drongo replied. "And I am giving you a second chance at life in the Outlands."

"And why would you care to resscue me?" The cobra questioned defensively. "What might you exsspect to gain from it?"

"Just an extension of loyalty, oh servant of Scar." The drongo replied, giving him a formal bow.

"And why musst I expect sssuch loyalty?" Ushari wondered suspiciously.

"You are a follower of Scar.. are you not?" The drongo returned simply. "And you have survived.. I imagine you'd like to finish what your master started." Ushari thought about the strange bird's implication and pondered the possibility; entertaining the idea even for a moment. A puddle, he noticed, just happened to be sitting right next to him, and he decided to take a look. What he saw… awakened his anger once more. The darkened half of his reflection could not obscure the extent of his new appearance. And it was at that moment that something deep within him snapped and that unquenchable fire returned.

"Conssider your offer.. Noted." The cobra finally answered, turning back to the drongo, while still remaining within the shadow's shelter. "But complete trusst musst be earned.." Ushari turned away from him to face the wall that met him, turning slightly to peer back while continuing. "Tell me.. are you.. reliable?"

"As they come." Folami shot back immediately. "I too am a believer in Scar's vision.. and would happily see it through."

"Then here'sss what I need you to do.." Ushari began, developing a sinister persona now too.

XXXX

Black feathers flapped, and Folami peered down on the group of animals gathered round the egret lying in his nest.

"You were the keenest of sight when you saw Bunga falling into the volcano." Kion told the miserable egret.

"And you were the bravest to dive after me." Bunga added with a grateful grin.

"You were the fastest to reach him in time." Fuli continued earnestly.

And the strongest to pull him out." Beshte put in.

"And the fiercest to never give up." Kion finished proudly.

xxxx

"Hm.." Folami mused, watching the egret's heartfelt response.

xxxx

"Ono?" Makini addressed her friend, who had tucked his beak under his wing.

"Schwari, Makini.. Ono needs rest." Rafiki encouraged, beginning a new approach.

"Now, Kion, about your eye.." The old mandrill began again, placing his hands on the young lion's face to inspect the wound that now scarred his face.

xxxx

"Ohh.. definitely interesting…" Folami reeled pleasurefully.

XXXX

The dust scattered, as it was disrupted by a breeze and then two feet.

"I have returned.. master." Folami bowed respectfully, by lowering his head over one wing and holding the other one out. A shaded figure stood there, suddenly the darkness shifted and peeled away. The first thing to be seen was the melted tissue that had burned round his right eye, explaining the pain had once resonated from it. And even extensions of these burns down his face gave the frightening illusion of somewhat of a scar. The solid whiteness of his eye gave way to an icy stare, that could easily kill an animal just from the mere beholding of it's desolate and lethal appearance.

"What iss it?!" Ushari snapped impatiently.

"You must know.." Folami began immediately. "Kion.. and his followers have left the Pridelands."

"Exxsscellent!" The cobra mused, a twisted smile shaping itself across his warped face.

"But don't you desire revenge on that brat of a cub; Simba's son, for destroying our great leader; Scar?" The drongo implied thoughtfully.

"Of courssse." Ushari responded. "But in order to exact a revenge that is fitting, it'll take time and planning… and patiencssse." He turned and slithered back into the shadow, coiling himself up to resume his ponderful posture.

XXXX

The maroon coils in the deepest shadow didn't stray from its post, as a bright red figure scuttled along the dusty floor into the large cave that they'd taken refuge in, seemingly ages ago.

"Ushari." A familiar voice hissed. "Word as spread of Zira's attack on the Pridelands.. many have believed she is using a fire attack on the princess, to take down the king himself from the inside!"

"We should be wise to make a move before something goes south." Folami suggested.

"We shall do nothing of the sssort!" Ushari snapped, turning his solid eye to them; and beginning to turn around. "I watched him for yearss in the caldera.. and know all his waysss of planning and sscheming… I may not have fully undersstood hiss thinking all of the time but.." Ushari continued, as the memories faded away again. "I undersstand enough to know that we musst not do anything.. but monitor the ssituation until appropriate action is necssessary."

"But- if I may.." Ushari's threatening hiss silenced him once more.

"We will not engage in sssuch meaninglesss activitiess…" The cobra snarled. "Our prize hass yet to sshhow hisss sscarred facsse… and when he doesss…" He took up a small, fragile piece of rock in the end of his tail, and crushed it in two to sum up his point. "I want to be fully prepared for that.. and that alone. Now leave me." He slithered back into the shadows as if to leave them behind, and mask the permanently warbled appearances of his face. The skinks and drongo looked to one another, before exiting the cave once again.

XXXX

"Ushari!" Shupavu's voice never sounded so urgent to the snake before, and he immediately turned her way. "The Outsiders have made an attempt in the king's life! An ambush has backfired and taken the life of Zira's oldest cub."

"And why are you telling me thiss.. Shupavu?" Ushari questioned in a disinterested manner.

"You ordered that we keep an eye on the Pridelandss." Shupavu returned coldly. "That means reporting every development that occurs. You never know when something might alter your planss."

"Hmm.. perhapss." The cobra mused. "But the death of Nuka the Outsssider iss hardly a ssetback to our current objective.."

"At leasst you are aware of this development…" Shupavu reasoned. "So don't be surprised if Zira reaches out to you for some reason." She finished, turning to leave once more.

"Oh.. how I doubt that will happen." Ushari mumbled to himself, as the red skink exited.

XXXX

"What is now?!" Ushari snapped. The barely audible scuttle of claws had given the skinks' presence away immediately, or maybe Ushari had knowingly been waiting for them to return.

"Zira has led her lionesses into the Pridelands.." Shupavu reported.

"Kovu's betrayal does not seem to have deterred her from her plans." Folami added, having snuck in like a shadow to join them.

"Then it ssoundss like, the end iss near.." Ushari remarked, peeling away from the shadow in dreadful certainty. "Follow the fight.. and immediately report to me on itsss ressult."

"Yess.. Ushari." Shupavu formally bowed her head and motioned to her skinks to follow her out.

"Folami.. I'll need you to watch over the fight.. and the skinkss." Ushari instructed subtly with his back turned to the drongo.

"You think they'd betray you after all this time?" The drongo implied.

"No.." The cobra returned. "I ssense that they might reveal my existence if they see fit.. I need to ensure that no one knowss of my presence until it iss time. Ass far ass anyone iss concerned.. I perished insside the volcano with Sscar when I fell into the caldera. I need to be sure that it stayss that way for the time being."

"What will you have me do?" Folami wondered sinisterly.

"Anything you musst." Ushari returned vaguely. "Jusst make sure there'ss nothing that can be tracssed back to me…" Then Ushari turned away once again, his silent command telling Folami all he needed to know; and he obediently left the cobra to his own thoughts.

XXXX

Back so soon? Ushari's mind thought as the scuttling faded in once more. The day had barely ended and the night hardly begun.. when the colored lizards returned from their mission; unharmed.

"I trusst you have pleasurable newss?" Ushari implied dynamically, slithering around toward them.

"Perhapss." Shupavu mused. "But it is not an end that was expected. The daughter of the king and the sson of Zira.. have joined forces. They halted the battle between their prides, and drew everyone but Zira to their side. Now Zira.. has completed her journey through the Circle of Life." Ushari remained silent for a moment longer.. as if processing this information carefully. Then his lips curled up in a sickly, and rather twisted grin to show his immense pleasure and intrigue by this development.

"Well.. isn't that an interessting change." The snake hissed pleasurefully.

"And there's more." Shupavu went on. "With the coming battle, the hyena now calling herself 'the head of the Outlands'; Jasiri, has gone off with Janja to alert the Lion Guard of what is happening here." Ushari paused a second more.

"Excssscellent!" He remarked, oddly amused by this. "Then I believe it iss time to begin." He finished, then slipped back into the shadows to ponder this some more. Shupavu shot a weird glance at Njana, then they all filed away from the hidden cobra once more.

XXXX

"Ushari!" Shupavu called, scurrying into the cave hurriedly. "Kion and the Lion Guard have returned. The daughter of Zira's pride fought them on the edge of the Pridelandss. And now they are headed for Pride Rock."

"Exsscellent." Came Ushari's calm, pleasureful hiss. And he slithered fourth from the darkness, the dim light immediately highlighting the warped scar down the snake's face, extending from his brow through his right eye and about five inches down his neck. The white pearl of an eye giving off his emotion rather clearly. "Ssend Folami to fetch the ressst my ssubordinatesss."

"Of course, Ushari." The skink bowed her head and left urgently to carry out her mission. Ushari, now alone with his thoughts, caught the sound of dripping water and looked to his left to find the small puddle waiting there. "Sssoon.." he mused gazing down at his reflection. "My vengeancsse shall finally.. come to fruition…"

XXXX

Claws scuttled in and Ushari immediately turned at attention to them.

"Kion's Lion Guard are in competition with Vitani and her Lion Guard." Shupavu reported upon entry.

"Take me to them.." Ushari demanded sinisterly, and the Skink obediently led the way.

XXXX

Ushari peered between the rocks, as Shupavu stopped on the trunk of the small tree just next to them. There was the group of Pridelanders; both Lion Guards and the Royal Family among them.. But Ushari's eye only sought out one from the crowd. The one handing off the mark on his shoulder.. And with it a duplicate of the power he would still possess.

"Kion." The snake hissed lowly, almost entranced by the sight of the, now, former leader of the Lion Guard. Slithering closer he snuck his way around the crowd to the rocks behind the young lion. But as he peered out he froze when… ROAR!

Awed by this phenomenon he couldn't help but stare.

How can the power of the Roar be granted to another?! Ushari turned to leave when another voice caught his attention; and especially the message in which they stated.

"Kion." The face of a strange lion suddenly appeared across the clouds.

"Askari?!" Kion gasped, both surprised and delighted by his appearance.

"Yes, Kion. You have done well!" The ancient lion praised.

xxxx

"Asskari?!" Ushari gasped to himself.

xxxx

"By letting the Roar go.. You have truly mastered it." Askari beamed proudly.

"Yes Askari." Kion smiled proudly. "But.. I'm not leader of the Lion Guard anymore.. Why would I need the Roar?"

"There is.. another place, that could use the Roar's help." Askari implied.

"The Tree of Life." Kion realized, and at that moment the mark of the Night Pride appeared on his right shoulder. The cobra's intrigue only growing.

"But Kion.. What does it mean to have mastered the Roar?" He heard Vitani ask.

"Watch." Was the young prince's response, advancing toward the edge of the rock. And again Ushari was amazed, when Kion lifted all of Pride Rock off the ground; and placed it back down using his roar.

"Hevi Kabisa." Vitani breathed impressively, stealing Kion's line for a moment. And Ushari quickly turned and left.

XXXX

"Folami.. We need to follow the Lion Guard back to the Tree of Life.." Ushari demanded hastily, when the drongo returned later that day. "..Before we losse them forever."

"And how do you purpose we do that?" Folami questioned unsurely.

"I want you to follow the Lion Guard back to the Tree of Life.." Ushari instructed simply. "..Without being sseen. And remain there long enough to gain any knowledge of what it iss like there. Oncsse you have gained some information that could be usseful, I want you to return here. Sso that I may join you at the Tree of Life. I have waited long enough or my plan'ss exssecution… Now go! Bring back any usseful information you can."

"Of course." Folami gave a respectful bow and flew off out of the cave.

XXXX

Animals gathered by a giant tree at the center of the vast and luscious land drew in the drongo's curious attention, landing at a distance to behold the momentous event.

Kion stepped up before Makini and lowered his head to her. She dipped her finger into something and smudged a mark across his forehead, that Folami couldn't see.

"Animals of the Tree of Life, friends from near and far.." Makini announced. "It is my honor or present.. King Kion!" Cheers erupted, as music swelled; praise and adoration for the newly coronated King of the Tree of Life filled the air.

"I don't believe it?!" Folami gasped, he was about to turn and fly away back to the Pridelands, but Ushari's words came back to him and he folded his wings back down again. "I must wait to return." He told himself looking back at the celebration taking place below him.

XXXX

Ushari couldn't have felt more relieved when hearing feathers flapping, entering the cave with no amount of subtlety.

"Folami! You have returned!" Ushari purred thankfully.

"I have.." Folami confirmed bowing his head respectfully. "And I have much to tell you…"

XXXX

Before he knew it, they had landed; hitting the ground almost felt like a victory in some way.

"Exsscellent!" Ushari hissed pleasurefully. "Now the plan.. can begin." His sinister tone set into motion his desires and brought a sickening grin to his scarred face. Triumph quite nearly on the tip of his tongue, so close that he could almost taste its sweetness; to the point of drunkenness. Anticipation growing as soon as they'd arrived.. and continued to be so.

Hey guys! I'm back! With another Lion Guard story. Now this story as you may find takes place during and after the events of season three. And just so you know.. I was a HUGE fan of how it all played out. There was only a few things that bugged me about this season.. But otherwise I believe it was the best season of the entire series. It was practically flawless! And Kion receiving an injury such as his scar was the biggest reason.

This one however I started months ago and have been trying to work on, but I've decided(since I've finished up some other projects lately) to start posting. I think I'll try to post every two weeks. So two weeks from this one I'll post the next one. We'll see if this is incentive enough to help me get going on it more now. And just so you guys know.. having heard requests for a Lion Guard story that includes humans(and out out a question about doing it myself), I wanna let you guys know that I DO in fact have plans for one. Don't know when I'll get to writing it, but I just wanted you to know that.

Also I have a series that will try to get done soon called New Angles, that'll just be a series of season three "add-ons" if that makes sense. I'm only about half done with it but if you're up for it… I can set a monthly schedule in order to start posting that as well. Just PM or comment yes or no in the comments. Thx in advance!

Anyway though, as you may have read, Ushari returns in my fic. I always wondered what would happen if he were to survive. And just so you know, the splash that is heard in the caldera when Bunga and Ushari fell into it, did, in fact, happen. The splash was merely just Ushari's face hitting the surface of the lava to cause the mark on his face. Folami got to him just in time to save his life, at the cost of half his eyesight. Also bear with me on this one, because this story has a lot of strange things that may happen; concerning the reasoning for the mysterious affects Kion's scar had had on him during season three. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this new story and I look forward to seeing you all next time, for the next chapter! Thx!